Packing



N. B. MILLER Nov. 12, 1940.

PACKING Filed Feb. 23, 1939 INVENTOR NOEMfi/V 5. M/A L 5/ Alf ATTORNEYPatented Nov. 12, 1940 UNITED STATES PACKING Norman E. Miller, New York,N. Y., assignor to Harold Case, New York, N, Y., doing business as TheMarlo Compan Application February 23, 1939, Serial No. 257,309

1 Claim. (01. 57-439 "The inventionrelates to packings and moreparticularly to packings adapted for use in connection with piston rods,pistons, plungers, shafts and other moving mechanical elements. The

5' object of the invention is to provide a packing of novel constructionand maximum efliciency to effect a seal against fluid pressuresdeveloped in the mechanism with which said packs ing is combined, andpossessing an inherent re-, 16 silience whereby the interstices in thepacking are automatically sealedto produce a homogeneous packing mass.Other more specific objects of the invention will appear in thedescription hereinafter and the features of. novelty .15 willbe pointedout in the claim.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates an example of theinvention Without defining its limits, Fig. 1 is a sectional View of aconventional stufiing, box showing the novel packing in use;.Fig. 2 is adetailed view of a metallic strand usedin the. packing; Fig. 3 is across-section on an enlarged scale on the line 3-3 of Fig.2; Fig. 4 is adetailed view of a cord consisting of a plurality of the metallicstrands 25 combined in a novel manner; Fig. 5 is a detailed view of arope-like packing element comprising a plurality of cords combined in anovel manner; Fig. .6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing another formof cord; Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 5

30 showing a rope-like packing element comprising a plurality of thecords illustrated in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross-section of thecompleted packing embodying the rope-like packing elements of Fig. 5;Fig. 9 is a fragmentary section,

35 enlarged and exaggerated, of a portion of the rope-like packingelement shown in Fig. 5, and Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 8 of thecompleted packing embodying the rope-like packing elements of Fig. 'l.

40 The novel packing shown in Figs. 2 to 5 inclusive, comprises strandsl5 made of a suitable metal or metal alloy having a channelled form incross-section for instance as illustrated in Fig. 3, the channels I6being in the nature of d grooves extending lengthwise of said strands l5preferably from end to end thereof. A plurality of the channelledstrands IS in predetermined numbers are twisted together preferably inlong twists in a given direction, for instance clock- 5 Wise, to formcords [1 such as illustrated in Fig. 4.

Several of the cords l1, depending in number upon the dimensions of thefinished product, are i then twisted together preferably in the oppositedirection, for instance counterclockwise, to form 55 rope-like packingelements l8 such as shown in .Fig. 5. As the above steps in theproduction of the packing take place, the channels I6 cause thestrandsIE to bite into or interlock with each other and to become nestedtogether as indicated in Fig. 9 to form a compact mass of maximum 5flexibility in every direction.

To improve the construction and particularly to facilitate handling, therope-like packing elements l8 may be enclosed in a protective cover.-.ing IQ of any suitable material such as cotton, 10 flax, asbestos or thelike; the covering l9 may be applied to the elements 18 in anyconvenient manner as for instance by being braided thereon.

. In the preferred form, a lubricant such as oil and wax, or othersuitable material, may be added to the, rope-likepacking elements l8 inany convenient manner, after the protective covering 19 has been appliedthereto. In some forms of the novel packing the lubricant may beotherwise applied than above stated, while .20 in other forms theaddition of lubricant to thepacking elements l8 maybe omitted.

The cross-section of the packing elements [8 with: or without theprotective covering l9 thereon may be of approximately circular form, orsaid elements l8 may be calendered between pressure rolls or otherwisesubjected to pressure to press said elements into i substantiallyrectangular or equivalent or other suitable shape in cross-section asexemplified in Fig.8.

In practice the packing consisting of the ropelike packing elements l8either with or without the protective covering l9 as the case may be,are placed within the stuffing box 20 so as to surround the plunger,piston rod or equivalent 5 element 2| extending axially through saidstuffing box 20; the packing is closely confined Within the latter bymeans of a gland22 and bolts 23 in the customary manner as shown inFig. 1. It will be understood that this method of utilizing the novelpacking in a conventional stufiing box is not in any sense intended todefine the range of utility of said packing.

The cord l'l shown in Fig. 6 consists of a combination of channelledstrands l5 of suitable metal alloy, and strands I5 of inorganic ororganic fibers such as asbestos, flax, and the like. The channelledstrands I5 and the fiber strands l5 together are twisted in onedirection as previously described with respect to Fig. 4 and alsopreferably in long twists to produce the cords Il A number of the cordsI! are then twisted together preferably in the opposite direction toform rope like-like packing elements w As the aforesaid operative stepsto produce the packing take place, the channelled strands l5 will beinterlocked with or bite into each other and become nested together asin the form first described; at the same time the fiber strands l 5 willbe located throughout the cord Il and extend spirally thereof betweenthe convolutions of the channelled strands I5 the whole forming acompact-homogeneous packing mass also of maximum flexibility in everydirection.

In this last mentioned form, the packing elements l8 may be enclosed inprotective coverings Ill of cotton, linen, asbestos or any othersuitable material; as in the form first described the coverings I9 maybe applied to the packing elements 18* in any convenient manner as bybeing braided thereon.

In the form of packing under discussion and I shown in Figs. 6, '7 and10, a lubricant such as oil and wax or other suitable material may beadded to the packing elements I8 before the protective covering [9hasbeen applied thereto; a second application of such lubricant may beadded to said packing elements l8 after the protective covering H! hasbeen applied. In some instance where an unlubricated packing isrequired, one or other applications of the aforesaid lubricant may beomitted. The packing elements I8 may have an approximately circular formin cross-section or as previously set forth in connection with thepacking first described herein, said packing elements .l8 either with orwithout the protective covering l9 thereon, may be calendered betweenpressure rolls or otherwisesubjected to pressure to press said elementsinto substantially rectangular or equivalent or other suitable shape incrosssection as illustrated in Fig. 10.

In the packing consisting of the combination of the metallic channelledstrands Ili and fiber strands I5", the latter provide resilience in thepacking elements and form cushions between metallic strands I5furthermore, the fiber strands l5 seal the interstices in the packing toprovide a homogeneous packing mass of maximum efiiciency. Thecombination metallic and fiber packing provides an efi'icient sealagainst fluid pressure such as gaseous, steam and other similar workingpressures developed in the machine in which the packing is incorporated.The last mentioned form of packing may be used in a stuiiing box asillustrated in Fig. 1 and as previously described herein, although thisalso is not to be interpreted as defining the range of utility of saidpacking.

In all of its forms the novel packing provides a compact packing mass ofmaximum flexibility, in which any section will yield in every directionunder the application of pressure for instance by the gland of astuffing box. Perfect and compact filling of any stuifing box regardlessof type is assured with the novel packing, and correspondingly efiicientresults are obtained regardless of the type of use to which said packingis put. The novel packing is economical to produce and requires noparticular skill ini its installation in stumng boxes or otherarrangements.

In some forms the packing may comprise a plurality of metallic strandsand a plurality of fibre strands twisted together to form cords, and aplurality of said cords twisted together to constitute packing elements.

Various changes in the specific forms shown and described may be madewithin the scope of the claim without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

I claim:

A cord for use in the production of packings of the kind described andconsisting of a plurality of channelled metallic strands having opengrooves extending lengthwise thereof, strands being twisted together inrelatively long twists with some of said strands nesting in the opengrooves of adjacent strands and the longitudinal edge portions of otherstrands extending into the open grooves of contiguous strands ininterlocking engagement therewith.

NORMAN B. MILLEl-g.

said

